Alex Salmond has pledged to seek the agreement of North Sea oil companies before asking them to pay more tax in an independent Scotland.

The First Minister yesterday launched a charm offensive aimed at the industry in a bid to secure the backing of operators for his separation agenda. He said he had no plans to put their taxes up — and he may place a statutory requirement on the Scottish Parliament to consult with them before changing the fiscal regime.

He also promised firms that they would be guaranteed the same decommissioning tax reliefs currently offered by Westminster and worth